The thirty-year period between the British abolition of slavery throughout itsempire (1833) and the American abolition of slavery throughout its union (1863)was marked by intense transatlantic abolitionist activity. In particular, the1840s and 1850s saw the greatest exchange and cooperation between anti-slaveryadvocates from both countries. The World Anti-Slavery Convention was held inLondon in 1840, and in the following decades, many prominent Americanabolitionists and fugitive slaves visited England to raise awareness and fundsfor the anti-slavery cause. The 1840s and 1850s also saw a peak in the Britishpublication of African-American slave narratives. The Narrative of the Life ofFrederick Douglass was published in 1845 and became a national bestseller, itspopularity bolstered by Douglass's immensely successful British lecture tourfrom 1845 to 1846.

Submissions are invited for a NEMLA panel on transatlantic literary exchangeduring this "inter-abolition" period—a period in which England more clearlybegan to define her identity as a non-slave holding nation. Panelists mayaddress topics including (but not limited to):--Travel narratives written by British and other European visitors to America(eg., Dickens, Marryat, Martineau, Frances Trollope)--British and American antislavery novels--"White Slavery" (governessing, factory workers)--American slave narratives--British attitudes towards the American Civil War--The "West Indian Experiment" (eg., Mill-Carlyle Debate)--American cotton and British textile trade--British and American abolitionists (eg., Wilberforce, Garrison)--Abolition and Religion (eg., Quakers, Evangelical Anglicans, Dissenters,Unitarians)--Women and slavery

Paper proposals (1-2 pp) must be submitted by August 30, 2005.Please include a one-page CV along with your proposal.

Please send inquiries and submissions in the body of the e-mail (NO ATTACHMENTS,PLEASE) to J. Lee at jlee_at_fas.harvard.edu